Melting apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

G. CRUISE.

MELTING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29. 1904.

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PATBNTBD SEPT. 4, 1906.

G. CRUISE. MELTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. 1904.

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N0. 830,305. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

' G. CRUISE.

MELTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1904.

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UNITED STATE S ATENT V FFTQE.

MELTING APPARATUS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed July 29, 1904. Serial No 213,654.

T0 ctZZ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GERALD (horse, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Melting Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to apparatus for melting such substances as snow and ice, it being particularly adapted for use in disposing of the accumulation in streets. Its principal objects are to provide an effective and convenient apparatus of this character.

It consists in the various features and combinations hereinafter described and claimed Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section therethrough on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional detail on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional detail through the top of the stack; and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3, illustrating the attachment of the dischargenipples to the gutter.

1O designates a suitable skeleton frame, which is supported at its rear end upon separated bolsters 11 11, rising from the axle of a rear truck 12. This frame is shown as provided with a forward extension 13, which is supported at its outer end upon a fifthavheel 14 of a front truck 15, to which suitable draftrigging 16 may be attached.

Upon the frame is mounted a casing, which, as illustrated, consists of opposite side walls 17 17 and end walls 18 18, preferably formed of sheet metal. Between the sides of the walls resting upon the frame 10 is a grate 19, here shown as formed in two sections, and beyond this grate is a floor 20. Extending at each side of the casin g from the vicinity of the grate-level is an inwardly and upwardly inclined side wall 21, reaching from end to end of the casing, the upper ends of which walls are connected by upwardly-inclined top walls 22, meeting at the center of the easing. These inner walls form within the easing a lower heating-chamber or furnace 23,

extending over the grate and the floor 20 and a melting chamber or receptacle 24, open at the top. Fuel may be supplied to theheating-chamber through doors 25, situated at the rear of the casing, or, if des1red,liquid fuelsuch as petroleum or a petroleum productmaybe supplied to the heating-chamberby a perforated pipe 26, extending about its sides, this being connected by a pipe 26 with a tank 27, conveniently situated beneath the drivers seat 27. In the pipe 26 may be placed a valve 28, having its spindle extending through the floor 20 to regulate the supply of the hydrocarbon. Between the grate and the forward portion of the heating-chamber is a bridge 28*, dividing the combustion from the smoke chamber, and from the forward end of the upper wall of this chamber opens a flue or smoke-pipe 29, which passes through the melting-receptacle. The top of this flue is preferably provided with a closure or damper 30, having an operating-lever 31, to which may be connected a flexible pendant 32 for raising or lowering it. The ends of the heating-chamber are preferably insulated by inner walls 33, (shown as supported upon bolts 34,) these walls forming dead-air spaces. Below the grate is an ashpit having a bottom floor 35 and at its rear end a door 36, through which the contents may be removed. This door may also be provided with a suitable adjusting device 36 for controlling the extent of its opening to vary the draft. Casings 37 may be attached to the floor of the ash-pit and surround the wheels of the rear truck to protect them from the heat.

Into the meltingcha1nber from the inner top walls extend longitudinal rows of pipes or hollow projections 38 and 39, which are preferably alternately arranged or staggered, the former, which are nearest the center, being shorter and all opening into the heatingchamber at their lower ends and being closed at their upper ends by what are here shown as conical portions 39. Between these projections is a considerable space, which tends to increase the capacity of the meltingchamber and in which the material to be operated upon may be placed. side of each of the series of projections 39 is a series of shorter projections or pipes 40, which not only open into the heatingchamber at their lower ends, but also have open upper ends, which may be closed by removable caps 41. Over these projections ICO At the outer 40 extend shields42, which preferably have bent upper portions 43, engaging the top of the side walls of the casing. They may be supported at their. ends by cleats 44:, secured upon inner end walls 45, which at their lower ends have inclined edges fitting the inclination of the top walls 22 and resting thereon, and also being supported by bent top portions 46, projecting over the end walls of the casing. These serve to effectually distribute the weight of the shields. Lying along each V side of the melting-chamber and extending from the projections 40 to the casing-walls are screens 47, closing the openings to passages 48, the inner walls of which are provided by the sides of the heating-chamber, while the outer are formed by the casingwalls. At the lower end of each passage through the casing is an opening 4.9, leading to a trough or gutter 50, preferably formed upon a hinged flap 51, conveniently of sheet metal and having a portion 51 projecting below the gutter parallel to the casing-wall. It may be there secured by some such device as staples 52, extending through openings in the portion 51 of the gutter and having coacting tapered pins 53. This closure below the gutter may be rendered substantially water-tight by interposing a packing 54, conveniently consisting of a sheet of ashestos. To the lower portion of the gutter and upon the end walls thereof are attached flanged nipples 55, riveted or bolted in place and having connected with them valves 56, from which lead flexible pipes or conduits 57.

In use the apparatus is drawn to the desired locality and a fire started in the heating-chamber, using either solid of liquid fuel, as is most convenient. The snow is then thrown into the melting-chamber, fall ing on and between the projections, where it is melted by the heat rising from the top walls and from the projections, which divide the snow into comparatively small masses, and thus apply the heat most eflectively. As it liquefies it flows downwardly in either direction over the top walls and through the screens, which prevent the passage of dirt and unmelted snow. It .then trickles down the side walls through the passages, and as these walls are in direct contact with the fire the water formed israised to a comparatively high temperature, so that when discharged it will not readily congeal. Upon reaching the gutters it enters the dischargepipes the valves of which are open, through which it may be delivered into sewer-openings or street-gutters, the number of these discharge-pipes employed de ending upon the amount of snow which is being handled and the direction in which it is desired to deliver the resulting water.

If the conditions are such that it is desired to secure a greater heat in the melting-chamber, the shields may be raised and a greater or less number of the caps removed from the projections 40. Upon returning the shields to place this allows the heat and products of combustion to escape beneath'said shields and be deflected into the snow, thus melting it more rapidly. The shields may also be raised to permit the cleaning awayrof accumulated dirt from the screens, and such finer material as passes into the gutters may be removed by swinging these outward from the casing. If the temperature of the air is sufficiently high, the flaps of these gutters may be raised and the melted snow allowed to run directly into the street.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A melting apparatus comprising a casing having a heating-chamber and a meltingchamber above the heating-chamber, a plurality of rows of hollow projections communicating with the heating-chamber and extend ing into the melting-chamber, some of the rows of projections being arranged adjacent to the sides of the melting-chamber, the rows of said projections arranged adjacent to the sides of the melting-chamber having open upper ends, and shields extending over the projections having open upper ends whereby products of combustion may be discharged against the shields.

2. A melting apparatus having a casing and a heating-chamber so arranged in said casing as to form a meltingchamber, the casing and heating-chamber, each being provided with side walls, the side walls of the heating-chamber being spaced from the side walls of the casing to provide depressed portions in the melting-chamber, a plurality of rows of hollow projections communicating with the heating-chamber and extending into the melting-chamber, some of the rows of projections being arranged adjacent to the sides of the melting-chamber, the rows of said projections adjacent to the depressed portions having open upper ends, screens over the depressed portions at the outer sides of said projections having open upper ends,-

and shields passing over said projections and partly down the inner sides thereof.

3. The combination with a casing provided with a heat1ng-charnber and a melting-chaming-chamber, caps for the open ends of the projections situated within the meltingchamber, and shields extending over the projections, said shields engaging the top of the casing.

5. The combination with a casing provided with a heating-chamber and a meltingcham ber, of hollow projections extending into the melting-chamber and opening into the heating-chamber and also opening into the melt ing-chamber, caps for the open ends of the projections situated within the melting-chamber, shields extending over the projections, and cleats at the ends of the casing upon which the shields are supported.

6. The combination with a casing provided with a heating-chamber and a melting-chamber, of hollow projectionsextending into the melting-chamber and opening into the heating-chamber and also opening into the melting-chamber, caps for the open ends of the projections situated within the melting-chamher, and removable shields extending over the projections.

7. A melting apparatus comprising a casing provided with a heating-chamber and a melting-chamber, said melting-chamber having an outlet-passage, a gutter hinged to the casing and to which the passage delivers and having a downward extension, and means for securing said extension to the casing.

8. A melting apparatus comprising a casing provided with a heating-chamber and a melting-chamber, said melting-chamber having an outlet-passage, a gutter hinged to the casing and to which the passage delivers and having a downward extension, means for securing said extension to the casing, and a packing interposed between the extension and easing.

9. The combination with a casing provided with a heating-chamber and a melting-chamber, of hollow projections extending into the melting-chamber and adapted to place said melting-chamber in open communication with the heating-chamber, caps adapted to close the ends of the projections which are situated within the melting-chamber, and shields adapted to extend into the meltingchamber and over said projections.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GERALD CRUISE.

\Vitnesses:

M. J. CRUIsE, ILLIAM. ALTERs. 

